Environmental concerns indicate the emission of hydrocarbons to the atmosphere should be reduced. Uncombusted hydrocarbons are emitted from gasoline engine automobiles since the gasoline combustion process is not complete and all the gasoline does not combust. Catalytic converters are now present on most gasoline automobiles. The converter catalytically reacts uncombusted hydrocarbons to reduce emissions. The converter loses activity over time, becomes less efficient, and permits hydrocarbon emissions.
Chlorine can aid in maintaining catalyst activity by maintaining the dispersion of platinum and improving the acidity of the alumina support. Adding to the catalyst during the manufacture of the catalytic converter is of limited value since the chlorine content is leached out over time due to chlorine reacting by way of the Deacon reaction with water in the exhaust gases. It would be advantageous to have a gasoline composition and method which maintained catalyst activity thus resulting in little or no hydrocarbon emissions.